Michael Douglas's Emmy Speech Reference to Son Cameron Explained

Yahoo! TV Emmys Blog

suzySeptember 23, 2013

Michael Douglas collecting his Emmy. (Getty Images)

Michael Douglas's Emmy speech elicited a lot of laughs, but it wasn't all jokes and jabs.

The 68-year-old actor was named Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for "Behind the Candelabra" and playfully delivered some sexually laced one-liners in the direction of his co-star Matt Damon, who played his love interest in the Liberace biopic. However, the speech had a serious moment when the veteran actor mentioned his incarcerated son, Cameron.

Referencing his adult son from his first marriage to Diandra Douglas, who is a drug addict serving a prison sentence for methamphetamine dealing, the actor said, "I'm hoping I'll be able — and they'll allow me — to see him soon."

For those curious what exactly he meant, Douglas elaborated in the press room, explaining that his son is in solitary confinement for further drug infractions while imprisoned, specifically smuggling and possessing cocaine and heroin. The "Last Vegas" star said he hasn't seen his eldest child in almost two years, and it could be two more before they come face-to-face again.

"My son is in federal prison," Douglas said backstage. "He’s been a drug addict for a large part of his life. Part of the punishments — if you happen to have a slip, and this is for a prisoner who is nonviolent, as about a half-million of our drug-addicted prisoners are — he's spent almost two years in solitary confinement. Right now I've been told that I can't see him for two years. It's been over a year now. And I’m questioning the system. Obviously at first, I was certainly disappointed in my son. But I've reached a point now where I’m very disappointed with the system."

Douglas with Cameron in 2009. (Getty Images)

However, Douglas remains optimistic because of Attorney General Eric Holder and the justice department deciding that low-level, nonviolent drug offenders — those without ties to large-scale organizations, like Douglas's son — will no longer be charged with offenses that impose severe mandatory minimum sentences.

"I think things are going to be revived, regarding nonviolent drug addicts," said Douglas, who has previously said he put his movie career over his family when his troubled son was growing up. "My last comment on that is the United States represents 5 percent of the world's population and we have 25 percent of the world's prisoners."

Douglas's stress over his son isn't his only major worry at the moment. His marriage to Catherine Zeta-Jones is going through a turbulent time with a rep for the couple confirming to Yahoo that they are taking some time apart. However, he was wearing his wedding ring at the Emmys and thanked the "Playing for Keeps" star, who hit the red carpet in China over the weekend, during his speech as well, making sure to clearly say, "my wife Catherine."

Douglas and Zeta-Jones, who have two children together, share the same birthday — September 25 — so perhaps they'll reconcile to celebrate. Nothing like cake and presents to set a fun, festive, celebratory tone for a reunion.